Grossano Helps Bergen Academies Earn Fourth Place in National Restaurant Competition

Stefanie Grossano of Hasbrouck Heights and fellow students represented their school, Bergen County Academies, taking home fourth place in the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation 11^th Annual National ProStart Invitational Competition recently.

New Jersey was represented by Bergen County Academies in management and Passaic County Technical Institute in culinary in the national competition which was held in Baltimore, Maryland this past April.

Grossano and her teammates Nicole Dell’Armo of Park Ridge, Ben Park of Rutherford, James Tan of Paramus and Katie Mines of Cliffside Park of Bergen County Academies competed in a weekend long battle of restaurant management and culinary arts competitions to showcase their abilities and love of the hospitality industry.

They were among ProStart students from 41 states and territories in this competition.

The teams were encouraged to meet with fellow students to gather insight and also network with industry professionals, who could offer them future employment opportunities. 

The team developed a proposal for a possible restaurant concept and presented it to a panel of judges. Critical thinking skills were assessed as judges created real life problems that managers face in day-to-day operations.

ProStart instructor Mary Beth Brace noted, “I am so proud of how hard this team worked and know these students will be a valuable asset to industry leaders in the future.” Each student was awarded a medal and generous educational scholarship to help further their career in the restaurant and foodservice industry.